MERCEDES FINDS SWEET SPOT WITH AMG 43 MODELS
The financial crisis of 2009 was not just a lightning bolt to the economies of Canada, the United States and elsewhere. It was also the turning point at which luxury auto buyers in North America began to eye Mercedes-Benz with more lust than BMW.
The shift was due in part to Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche’s push for better-looking vehicles but also improved pricing and quality over more models. It saw Mercedes overtake perennial sales leader BMW in North America in 2010, and Mercedes has remained up front ever since. Mercedes sold 46,455 vehicles in Canada last year, while BMW sold just over 38,000. Earlier this year, Mercedes also surpassed BMW in global sales.
A range of new models helped, but so, too, did differentiation within certain models, highlighted by the new AMG 43 option available on several 2017 Mercedes-Benz models. These new AMGs have all the potential to be not only popular, but perhaps even the most appealing; they offer a summit of performance, style and looks without having to climb all the way to the top of the AMG 63 mountain.
The biggest benefit of Mercedes’ 43 models is the sweetness of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6, a 367-horsepower delight that peaks at 383 poundfeet of torque as early as 2,500 rpm. No, this isn’t one of those “one-man, one-engine” Affalterbach jewels found in the AMG 63 models, which are twin-turbo V-8s. But in the GLC 43 compact SUV I drove, the engine felt extremely lively and powerful, and even had a decent snarl to it. Handling and braking felt almost performance car-like, turning an otherwise ordinary SUV into something truly unique.
The engine was smooth, steady and satisfying — more than enough to please the enthusiast, but refined and civil enough for everyday driving. Zero to 100 km/h is rated at 4.8 seconds in the GLC 43; in the MercedesAMG C 43, it’s 4.7 seconds. Fuel economy isn’t all that bad, either, with a combined average rating of 11.7 L/100 km, and all-wheel drive is standard.
But the joys of the baby AMG don’t stop with the engine. They also include adjustable suspension settings that work in tandem with the nine-speed automatic transmission, an AMG front axle and steering that feels excellent. Air suspension, LED lighting and a host of style improvements — including 20-inch wheels and that Mercedes beautiful, jewelled grille — are also standard.
Inside, “Dinamica” upholstery (an eco-friendly suede) with red stitching feels upscale, but the sport steering wheel and AMG instrument cluster bring out the best of the model.
Illuminated door sills, aluminum pedals and some extra safety gear are also part of the GLC 43’s kit.
Certainly, the AMG 43 version makes the otherwise pedestrian GLC look and drive infinitely better, just as it does with the C-Class coupes and sedans; it’s like getting most of the coveted options on a particular model all rolled up into one package.
The price, of course, jumps, but it’s not nearly as much as opting for a full-tilt 63. In the C-Class, for example, which starts at $44,000, the AMG 43 rises to $56,200, whereas the C 63 requires the commitment of $75,200. Is the additional 107 hp in the C 63, plus the two extra cylinders, really worth $19,000? And that’s before tax.
In the GLC, the price jump is slightly steeper but still agreeable, rising from $45,150 for the four-cylinder GLC 300 to $59,900 for the twin-turbo AMG. The 43 package doesn’t buy everything, however, and features that might be expected as standard in a luxury car — sunroof, heated rear seats, rear-view camera, automatic high beams, a heated steering wheel — are still extras, as are most colours outside of black or white.
The AMG treatment, available on at least nine models ranging from the SLC, through the C- and E-Class models and into the GLC and GLE range, brings the glamour, performance and appeal of the coveted AMG to regular Mercedes vehicles without having to step all the way up to most potent and most expensive 63 realm. It’s a way to open Mercedes up to a wider audience, which will still get plenty of AMG DNA and the driving excitement that comes with it, without having to pay a king’s ransom for the pleasure.
Sounds like BMW has a lot more work to do.